Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

New Products

Wealthy Consumers Rate Bang & Olufsen, Bose, Nakamichi Top Luxury Audio Brands

Consumer audio is one of the most hotly contested categories, with many expert opinions on which brand has the best reputation. But wealthy consumers report that they mainly trust what their peers say. In the latest Consumer Audio Luxury Brand Status Index survey from the New York City-based Luxury Institute, Bang and Olufsen (score of 79) edged out Bose for first place as the most prestigious brand, as ranked by America’s wealthy. Bose scored 78; Nakamichi scored a 73.

“The Consumer Audio brands category has scores of brands vying for wealthy households. Many of the wealthy are audiophiles who only buy top-of-the-line, yet most also acquire well-known audio brands,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO, the Luxury Institute. “We mapped the entire category by brand reputation using the voice of wealthy consumers to gain an understanding of awareness, and the perceived differences among the world’s leading audio brands. Brand reputation with the target market has been rated by executives as one of the most critical metrics a brand can measure over time; and there is no consumer more likely to buy more in volume and value than America’s wealthy consumer. These are your best prospects and customers.”

Thirty-one brands were rated including: (alphabetically) Acoustic Research, Advent, Bang and Olufsen, Bose Corp., Boston Acoustics, Cambridge SoundWorks, Cerwin Vega, Clarion, Denon, Harman Kardon, JBL, JVC, Kenwood, Klipsch, LG, Logitech, Marantz, Nakamichi, NEC, Onkyo, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Polk Audio, RCA, Samsung, Sanyo Fisher, Sharp, Sherwood, Sony and Yamaha.

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) is the only measure of the value and equity of leading luxury brands to wealthy Americans, based on statistically meaningful data collected from wealthy consumers themselves. The LBSI incorporates four main “pillars” of value:

  1. Consistently superior quality,
  2. Uniqueness and exclusivity
  3. Enhanced social status
  4. The ability of a brand to make a customer “feel special.”

Seven point scale ratings are converted to a 0-100 scale.

In addition to individual and composite metrics by age, gender, income and net worth segments among the wealthy, the survey measures a brand’s ability to merit a significant premium price and the correlation of price premium worthiness with the composite index of the four critical factors. Another critical metric feature of the research is a rating by wealthy consumers as to a brand’s erosion or enhancement over the past year.

Using LBSI, the Luxury Institute surveyed a nationally representative, statistical sample of more than 400 households with a minimum of $200,000 in gross annual household income and minimum household net worth of $750,000 (including home equity). Brands rated are selected with the assistance of leading industry experts including manufacturers, retailers and journalists.

About the Luxury Institute
The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and objective research institution that focuses solely on the top 10 percent of America’s wealthy. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications and research that guide and educate high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, wealthy consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. Publications include the monthly Wealth Report, the Luxury Brand Status Index surveys, the Luxury Best Practices surveys and the Luxury Consumer Experience Index surveys. To reach the Luxury institute, please call 646-792-2669 or go to http://www.luxuryinstitute.com.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

Nothing KEF Headphone 1 Lifestyle

New Products

Nothing challenges the Apple AirPod Max with the new Headphone 1 with Sound by KEF.

Cyrus Audio 40 PPA Phono Preamp Front Cyrus Audio 40 PPA Phono Preamp Front

New Products

At $2,899, Cyrus Audio makes a bold claim about its 40 PPA which supports MC and MM cartridges with balanced XLR outputs and upgraded...

iFi Go pod MAX wireless IEM Adapters iFi Go pod MAX wireless IEM Adapters

New Products

The iFi Go Pod Max turns wired IEMs wireless with Bluetooth 5.4, balanced amp, and high-res audio—elevating sound while exposing your IEMs’ true colors.

Dangbei MP1 Max 4K Projector Lifestyle Dangbei MP1 Max 4K Projector Lifestyle

New Products

At under $2,000, the Dangbei MP1 Max is a compact 4K lifestyle projector with Google TV, AI setup, and hybrid laser-LED tech for screens...

Yamaha YH-L500A Wireless Headphones Lifestyle Yamaha YH-L500A Wireless Headphones Lifestyle

New Products

With proprietary Sound Field technology, the Yamaha YH-L500A wireless headphones provide personalized cinematic audio for $229.

V-MODA M10 and M100 Pro DJ Headphones V-MODA M10 and M100 Pro DJ Headphones

New Products

Not all headphones are designed for all listening needs. The V-MODA M-100 PRO and M-10 are affordable headphones that provide the quality and durability...

Gift Ideas?

Amazon Prime Day is July 8-11, 2025

Daily Deals

Amazon Prime Day is a four-day shopping event from July 8-11, 2025 offering the biggest discounts of the year on consumer electronics.

You May Also Like

Articles

Unique turntables of 2025 include Audio-Technica’s levitating Hotaru to MoFi x Fender’s vintage rock vibe and Thorens’ modern classic.

New Products

Bang & Olufsen's $30,000 Beosystem 3000c fuses vintage vinyl charm with modern wireless flair—and yes, you're paying a massive premium for nostalgia dressed in...

New Products

The $349 Beosound A1 3rd Gen adds sound upgrades, fresh colors, and the same IP67 waterproof build—still one of the most stylish portable Bluetooth...

Gift Guides

Upgrade Mom's home audio and video experiences this Mother's Day with 10 gift ideas she'll absolutely love -- and you might too.

New Products

This convergence of Danish Hi-Fi and some of the finest Italian stone or petrified wood will not be cheap. And that was before the...

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

At $299, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds offer excellent situational awareness, support for Snapdragon Sound, and one surprising feature.

Articles

Looking for the best compact wireless speaker? Our favorite models from Brane, DALI, Devialet and Bang & Olufsen can go wherever you go.

Articles

Our picks for the best wireless noise cancelling headphones to buy in 2022 at various price points may surprise you.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers